My bare feet padded on the ground as I ran down the hall to the seventh year dormitory. I burst in, not really paying attention to privacy- it’s so over rated anyway. I was met with screams and squeals but ran right by them all and slammed my fist onto the bathroom door.

Rebecca opened it, looking cute in jeans, a floral top paired with a cardigan and ballet flats. She held a blush brush in one hand and a mirror in the other. She flashed me a friendly smile, “Hey, Beth! What’s up?”

"I need your help! I haven’t gone on a date in years so I don’t know how to act or what to wear! Normally, I wear sweats to Hogsmeade. What should I wear on a date? Heels, flats, clown shoes? Or should I show up in a ball gown wearing a tiara with fireworks and confetti? Should I actually try to tame my hair, and how do you put on makeup anyway?” The words tumbled out of my mouth so quickly I’m not quite sure they made sense.

I had gotten up at seven o’clock, determined to get this primping thing down. All I got was an eye full of mascara wand and a frizzier mess of curls. On top of it all I had absolutely nothing to wear for a date with James. Sure I had cute things, but not cute things- if that even makes sense.

I stood there, looking like a raving banshee for quite some time. Rebecca’s grin faltered only slightly. She finally gripped my sides firmly. “Calm down, we can fix this.” She said in a soothing voice.

I nodded quickly and took a few overly dramatic deep breaths. “Okay,” Rebecca said as soon as my breathing had become somewhat normal. “What do you have to wear?”

“Nothing” I said immediately.

“I’m sure you have-“

“No.”

“Not even-“

“Nu-uh.”

Rebecca huffed and gave my cotton shorts and tank top a once over. “Okay, let’s see what we can do. Hey, Amanda can I borrow that white cotton dress of yours?”

“Oh, not for me. For Beth here.” Rebecca placed a hand on my shoulder.

“Oh,” Amanda whipped her head in my direction and wrinkled her nose. Boo you whore. “Eh, I guess. But only because it’s you Rebecca.” She pulled a white piece of fabric from her trunk and tossed it to Rebecca who placed it on her bed.

“Thanks, Amanda. Now we need shoes.” She asked some girl named Jessica if she could borrow some white wedges and got the same reaction. But again, the girl gave them to her because, “It’s you Rebecca.” Damn, everyone loves Rebecca. What am I doing wrong? I mean, besides my general dislike of most people, I’m a very likeable person.

“Okay, now that the outfit is picked out let’s start getting ready!”

She made me put on the dress and the shoes. I immediately felt self-conscious. The dress was innocent enough on the wrack, but off was a whole different story. Sure it came down around my knees, ending with a pretty frill and was decorated with little designs. And sure the chiffon tie around my neck made me feel flirty but it also had a plunging neckline- and when I say plunging, I mean plunging. I was showing more cleavage than I care to admit, and the wedges made my legs look ten feet long. They were also white with multiple straps locking my feet onto the cork base. All signs pointed to me falling on my face.

I pulled at the dress uncomfortably. “I’m not sure about this anymore, Rebecca.”

“No, you look amazing! You fill that thing out better than Amanda ever has.” She steered me into the bathroom and made me sit on the toilet. She tapped her blush brush against her cheek. “Why don’t we keep the make-up light so we don’t make you look like a clown.”

She went to work dusting blush on my cheeks, drawing on eyeliner and applying mascara. Rebecca turned my face from side to side, “Beautiful!” She began putting everything away.

“Don’t leave my hair to suffer!” I pulled at a loose, frizzy curl.

She smirked. “You’re hair’s fine. But if you’re so worried a simple beauty spell should do the trick.” She grabbed her wand and gave it a quick flick. My curls instantly tightened. Rebecca pulled me up and made me twirl around. I blushed and pushed down my dress hem, which was flying too far up for my liking. “Perfect! James will be tripping over his feet.”

“Thanks, I’d be lost without you.”

Rebecca waved her hand. “Don’t even worry about it. So when are you meeting him?”

I grabbed Rebecca’s wrist and looked at her watch. “In about an hour, but Rose promised she would meet me early and calm me down.”

“Well,” Rebecca placed both hands on my shoulders. “God speed, love.” And with that she turned and left the room after her friends.

I stared after Rebecca, remembering the conversation I had had with Cal a few days previous.

"Cal… what exactly is your plan?”

Cal looked around the common room as if he expected to see some random first year listening in on our conversation. The common room, however, was empty. It was only the two of us as well as the creepy dancing cactus in the corner. Man, I need to “accidentally” set that thing on fire.

"Okay,” He whispered. “But you can’t tell anyone.”

"Who am I going to tell? You?”

Cal shrugged. “Good point.” He made one more sweep of the common room to make sure we were completely alone. “I’ve had a thing for Rebecca for a while now, and recently it seemed like she had a thing for me too.”

"What?” I asked, completely shocked. Well, I’m out of the loop. “What makes you think that?”

"I’ve been helping her study for her N.E.W.T’s. We’ve spent a lot of time together, and… well… I thought she was beginning to like me, too.”

Realization hit me like a lightening bolt. “And I’ve been ruining it by going along with James’ plan.” Cal nodded. “That’s why you were so upset before. Not because you were worried about me-“ I stopped. “Huh… ouch.”

Cal gave a sheepish grin. “I was concerned, but you can kind of handle James yourself.”

"And that’s why you’re so excited about my new plan.” I continued. Cal nodded again. “So, let me get this straight. Your happiness, as well as my happiness, all depends on whether or not I can seduce James.”

Cal gave a semi-shrug. “In a nut shell, yeah.”

I huffed. “Oh, Merlin.”

Why hadn’t I realized it before? I mean, I knew Cal was staying up late to study, but the fact that Rebecca was there didn’t even register in my thought. I pushed myself up and walked out of the seventh year dormitories. So now my best friends happiness relied on the success of my plan. No pressure or anything.

I took my time walking to the great hall. I wasn’t too keen on people seeing me. Oh good Merlin. People actually have to see me. I edged around a corner and met Rose in a pretty green sundress.

“Whoa! You look incredible!” She walked around me and the familiar feeling of self-consciousness washed over me again.

I pulled down the hem of my dress for the third time. “Thanks.”

“James is gonna be a drooling mess.”

My cheeks darkened. “Oh Merlin, Rose! I can’t do this!” I plopped down on a windowsill and buried my painted face into my hands.

“Bethany Heart you have been stalking this boy ever since third year and now that you actually have a date with him you’re backing out?”

“Don’t worry, Scorp and I will be close behind you guys. If things get too bad we can swoop in and make it a double date!” Rose threw out her arms in a feeble attempt to make her mediocre plan seem brilliant.

I huffed. “I don’t know…”

“Yeah? Well I do know. I know that James has been dating floozy after floozy and could really use a girl like you to straighten him up. I know he’s never truly been happy with any girl except you. And I know that you will bitch for eternity if you don’t go through with this, so come on!” She grabbed my arm and roughly pulled me up. I stumbled after her in my ridiculously tall heels.

We met Scorpious at the entrance to the great hall and after pecking Rose on the cheek he gave me a wolf whistle. “Looking good, Beth. If I didn’t know better I would think you were a girl.”

“Oh, hehehe. You’re so funny.” I bit back sarcastically.

He grinned and grabbed Rose’s hand. “Well, maybe see you in Hogsmeade.”

But Scorpious was already dragging a giggling Rose out of the castle and down the path to Hogsmeade. So I was stuck, waiting for James, alone. I pretended not to notice the boys who walked by and blatantly checked me out. Some of the prats even had dates… wankers.

It was twenty passed ten and I was all about to head back to the Hufflepuff common room in complete defeat when I heard the sound of racing steps and panting.

“I’m sorry, Beth. I slept in because you’re pratty brothers didn’t wake me up and- whoa.” James stopped talking as soon as I turned to face him.

“How do I look?” I clasped my hands behind my back so as not to tug at the dress in his presence.

His mouth opened and closed uselessly for a few minutes before he managed to choke out, “Absolutely incredible.”

I bit my lip and couldn’t help but blush. “Thanks.” I tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear. “You look nice as well.”

He wore a pair of worn out jeans and his fitted white button up shirt remained un-tucked. He had paired it with a tie but had obviously been moving when he put it on because it hung loosely around his neck. His hair was just as messy as ever the only difference being its general dampness. Overall he looked hot, but when does he not?

He blinked in confusion a few times before answering me. “Wh- oh, oh, yeah. Thanks.”

We stood there for a few moments, both unsure of what to say. I couldn’t take the uncomfortable silence any longer and finally spoke. “So, shall we get going?”

"Uh, sure, yeah.” James seemed to be stuck in a permanent daze.

We both turned and walked out into the warm spring breeze, making our way down to Hogsmeade. The air between us was thick with nerves and I could feel my mouth running dry. Come on, Beth. Say something, anything to get this conversation going!

"So, er, I hear that nargles are being particularly nasty this season.”

Okay, anything but that.

So much for updating quickly, huh?

Well here's chapter eight. I command you to comment even though I updated slowly.